26 Promises to Make this Independence Day

In 2010, India joined the United Nations Environment Programme’s ‘Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign’. The present government too has now passed the bill to unlock the ₹ 41,000 crore for afforestation. However, like all good schemes that come to fruition, it is important that the public participates in the initiative. Thus, let each of us plant one tree to commemorate the 69th year of Indian independence.

B: BRIBES

Newton was a smart man when he proposed the finest law of motion (which has great applicability to real life) – ‘Every action has an equal and opposite reaction’. And so it is with bribes as well. The day you stop giving bribes, we won’t have to worry about babus demanding bribes. And we’ll be on the path of a ‘Corruption-free’ nation. Seems unlikely? Stop paying bribes and you’ll see…

C: CRUELTY

Off late, we have been witnessing a strange surge in cruelty against animals. What’s worse is how people have practically turned it into a sport…with videos appearing on social media platforms. For heaven’s sake…PLEASE STOP! Cruelty is never cool…selfie or not!

D: DIVERSITY

India is known the world over for its unique diversity. Starting from its people…right up to its flora and fauna, India has a rich heritage that needs to be preserved. Hence, we not only need to take pride in our rich culture, we also need to figure out a way to safeguard our rich heritage.

E: ENTREPREURSHIP

The biggest strength that India possesses today is its strong and robust young population. Of course, in order to properly utilise this great natural resource, we need every one of these young men and women to be productive. Obviously, in order to create jobs for this great big numbers, we need entrepreneurs who in turn will become job-creators instead of job-seekers.

F: FARMERS

What I often fail to understand is how we can shell out a thousand rupee at a pizza parlour, but spend minutes haggling for a few rupees with the hardworking farmers. Stop haggling people…for if he stops to produce, you’d have no more pizza parlours to visit.

G: GOVERNANCE

We Indians have a strange apathy to governance in general. There are many out there who do not even exercise their right to vote. Even the ones who do vote…feel that their jobs are over once they have cast their precious vote. Truth is, that is when our jobs really begin. We need to become more proactive and need to actively participate in the state/country’s governance.

H: HUMANITY

What does ‘Being Human’ mean? A human is the most intelligent of life forms on this planet. Yet, it astounds me when I see the same intelligent life form walk past an accident victim, failing to realise that a simple call to ‘100’ may mean the difference between saving a life and taking it. This independence day, let us all just become a little more human!

I: IDIOT BOX

Take a break! There is a simple common logic behind the phrase – ‘Garbage In, Garbage Out’. Thus, what you feed to your brain is what reflects in your actions. Hence, this independence day…seriously take a break from bad TV. Read a book, watch a documentary, talk to your parents, visit an old-age home, sing nationalist songs, and think of ways you can contribute to nation-building!

J: JOKES

We are a poor nation when it comes to taking a joke. Can we all please at least attempt to grow a funny bone? [A little more tolerance isn’t really such an extraordinary request!]

K: KNOWLEDGE-BUILDING

Let’s admit it. If we want to work towards nation-building, we first need to build ourselves. Now, how can we do that? Whether we are in school, college, or even working in our respective organisations, we must all strive towards increasing our knowledge-base, so that we can contribute in a more fruitful way.

L: LANE DRIVING

A simple change in our own driving styles can seriously bring down the incidences of road rage. It will not just bring down the congestion of the roads, but will also help lower the stress levels of the society. All the more reason to stick to your lane.

M: MIGRATION

Migration is never fun for anyone. When someone migrates to another land, they do so in search of safety or a better life, which as human beings they are entitled too. Hence, instead of judging the migrants harshly, adopt a more empathic approach and work towards alleviating their pain and suffering. For only those who have known the pain of leaving their homes behind…can truly understand what a migrant goes through…

N: NEWS

We live in the information age. We, therefore, must always be on top of the world affairs to understand its implication on the lives of the billions of Indians. Hence, let us vow to read newspapers, or watch news channels so we too can become informed citizens and make informed decisions. [So, we do not behave like the British, who were busy Googling ‘Brexit’ AFTER voting for Brexit.]

O: OPTIMISM

Nothing kills productivity than negative attitude and pessimism. Thus, let us vow to always see the silver lining in the cloud as we work – diligently and optimistically! – towards a bright future.

P: POPULATION

Whether we want to admit it or not, the earth’s size is rather limited and unless we are contemplating mass suicides, I do not see the population numbers going down. Hence, for all those who’re reading this, vow to have small families and ask your friends and families to do so too.

Q: QUESTION HOUR

The first hour of a sitting of Lok Sabha is devoted to questions and is therefore known as the ‘Question Hour’. In case you’re wondering what role can you play, did you know that the general public too can witness the Question Hour through the public galleries? How about going once? Of course, if a visit is not your thing, you can nonetheless catch the action on the idiot box.

R: RATIONAL THOUGHT

We are an emotional race. In fact, if our emotions were a balance scale, we would be going up and down…all the time. This is not what was expected when the first Prime Minister of India envisioned its people to be driven by scientific thought. We, therefore, are still predisposed to believing in superstitions. Hence, this independence day, let us at least and at last strive towards rationality…and become exactly as genetics intended us to be… as a rational life form!

S: SELFIES

Just STOP! It’s irritating really…

T: TAXES

Pay your taxes…honestly and on time!

U: UNEMPLOYMENT

Even though no one is saying it out loud, truth is the country is still grappling with unemployment. Of course, without a system of social security available to the citizens, such high unemployment rates propels the youth towards a life of crime and other social ills. Hence, it is important that the government and private players and entrepreneurs come together to handle the problem before it escalates into civil unrest.

V: VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Do you know what is the annual cost of domestic violence across the world? It actually stands at a staggering $ 9.5 trillion. That’s right — that’s half the US’s GDP. Thus, we need to promise ourselves that we will not tolerate any violence against women…whether in our own homes, in our workplaces, on the roads, or anywhere else in the world.

W: WATER

It’s ironical that a planet that is 2/3rd water is battling severe water scarcity. Then again, when you do not take proper care of your resources, such things are bound to happen. Thus, this independence day, let us pledge to conserve water, learn and invest in water harvesting, etc.

X: XENOPHOBIA

Xenophobia is the extreme dislike or prejudice against people of other countries. Whether we admit it or not, there are many amongst us, who — for whatever reasons — hate people from other countries, especially our immediate neighbours like Pakistan. Today, let us realise that partition was a wound that was inflicted upon everyone…and we all — irrespective of our religions — bore its scars!

Y: YOUTH PROBLEMS

As the youth of this country and therefore its future…it is important that every young man and woman concerns himself/herself with the problems being faced by the youth of this country…whether it is the problem of performance anxiety, single parenting, unemployment, drug/alcohol abuse, depression and other mental disorders, work-life balance, violence, materialism, obesity, poverty, etc.

Z: ZEALOTRY

Zealotry runs behind many a wars, hate crimes, terrorist acts, and general suspicion. When men/women become warped in their fanatical and unyielding pursuit of religious and political ideologies, they forget that a bullet knows no race and a bomb knows no name.

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